The Oklahoma State Cowboys have been given a number of fines for their role in the 2016-2017 bribery scandal which involved their former assistant coach Lamont Evans. Their biggest fine includes being suspended from postseason play for the next season, which will keep the team from potentially reaching the NCAA tournament. Fines also include being placed on probation for three years, and losing three scholarships for the next three seasons.
The bribery scandal came during the 16-17 season, when former assistant coach Lamont Evans accepted bribes to influence student athletics for the season. The Cowboys are not the only team involved in a bribery scandal, as other universities, including Kansas, Louisville, USC, and South Carolina have had their own recruiting violations and will likely face similar punishments.
The team is planning to appeal the ruling, calling it unjust and too much, saying that the players on the team were not involved in the scandal that happened 3 years ago, and try to gain their postseason eligibility back. This suspension could not be a worst time for the Cowboys, as Number 1 prospect Cade Cunningham announced his commitment to the team, but now the young star could be looking elsewhere to play one year at an elite level before being drafted as the expected No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft.
